Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the viewing of maps on electronic devices.
Background Art
To efficiently travel from one geographic location to another, it generally is beneficial to have directions. A number of interactive Internet-based mapping portals are available to generate such directions, including Yahoo!® Maps, MapQuest, and Google™ Maps. An electronic device (e.g., a desktop computer, a handheld computer, etc.) may be used to access a mapping portal. To use a mapping portal to generate travel directions, a user typically submits a start location and a finish location (e.g., in the form of a business name, mailing address, etc.). The mapping portal processes the start location and finish location, and generates a map with travel directions from the start location to the finish location overlaid thereupon. The travel directions may be followed by the user to travel from the start location to the finish location.
In addition to travel directions, a variety of further types of information may be generated when people interact with electronic devices. Such information includes information regarding applications used, social network information, physical and online locations visited, etc. However, most of this information is effectively abandoned due to deficiencies in the way such information can be captured. For example, and with respect to a mobile phone, information is generally not gathered while the mobile phone is idle (i.e., not being used by a user). Other information, such as a presence of others in the immediate vicinity, a time and/or frequency of messages to other users, and activities of a user's social network are also not captured effectively.
Techniques have not been developed for effectively using such information to enhance the lives and routines of users, including by enhancing the presentation of travel directions by electronic devices. What is desired are ways of enhancing the presentation of travel directions by electronic devices based on information generated when people use electronic devices.